Cereal is an everyday pantry staple no household can run without, be it the adult varieties of bran and wheaties or the more sugary, brightly colored boxes the kids love. It’s easy, crowd-pleasing, and quicker than almost any other weekday breakfast—which is why our pantries are always littered with at least a few open boxes going more stale by the minute. It’s a conundrum: We want all the options without having to throw them out in a week.
Since opening one box at a time to ward off any impending staleness is less exciting than a rodeo bull on sleeping pills, the best way to keep all of your cereal shelf-stable, organized, and mess-free is an ‘ole hotel breakfast buffet secret: dry goods dispensers. You simply have to pour a box of cereal into one of the plastic containers, securely seal the top, and then twist the knob to dispense a small amount at a time. Not only does it keep cereal fresh for up to a full month, but it enables kids to serve themselves (super cool at age five) without making a mess.
Keep the dispensers in the pantry and pull them out at breakfast time, or makeshift a breakfast bar complete with dispensers filled with things like cereal, granola, nuts, and even candy. Breakfast gets a whole lot more fun instantly. Say goodbye to stale cereal boxes and crumbs galore.
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Ah, it feels good to get those overflowing pantry shelves in check, hm? No pests allowed.
